(UK) Gloucestershire: 'Govt is failing to recognize...increasing numbers of children" in SPED

Nov 22, 2018, Gloucestershire Gazette: Schools' budget for students at risk https://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/17239002.schools-budget-for-students-at-risk/ MONEY promised towards the education of every child in Gloucestershire is under threat, a head teacher has warned. Last year the Government pledged a minimum amount of funding per secondary pupil of £4,800. But some of this cash may now have be diverted to cover the rising costs of high needs support in schools. As a result, schools in the area are facing a massive funding crisis which could lead to the loss of teachers, the axing of subjects, plus cuts to equipment and books. Andrew Harris, head teacher at Katherine Lady Berkeley School in Wotton says it could mean as much as a cut of between £125,000 [$161K US dollars] and £190,000 [$245K US dollars] from his school’s 2019/20 budget. “Given the financial constraints of the last 10 years and the economies that have already been made, such a cut will have a significant effect on our provision,” he said. David Drew MP is so concerned about the situation that he has called for a special debate in the House of Commons about the state of education funding in Gloucestershire. … “Our secondary schools will face cuts of £100,000 [$129K] to £200,000 [$257K] in their budgets if this goes ahead, leading to redundancies and curriculum cuts. “It cannot be right that the strategy to address the crisis in funding for special education needs is to compromise the opportunities of other pupils. "The Government is failing to recognise or support the increasing numbers of children who require extra support to fulfil their potential…. “Despite an overall increase in funding, more children in Gloucestershire than ever before need intensive help and support at school which is has resulted in an overspend of the high needs specific block of the Dedicated Schools Grant by £3million. …